Orlando Magic receive county permission to test players/staff for coronavirus
ORLANDO, Fla . - The Orlando Magic are targeting Tuesday, May 12 to reopen their training facility for individual workouts for players, according to a team spokesman.
The NBA began allowing teams to bring players back for into facilities on May 8th, but the Magic chose to wait. There are specific procedures in place for sanitization and social distancing, and the Magic will also begin testing players and staff who will be on site.
The team says it has received written permission to administer coronavirus tests to asymptomatic players. The team released the following statement:
"We have received written authorization from Dr. Raul Pino, the Health Officer of the Orange County (FL) Department of Health, that there is a robust COVID-19 testing program in place by the Orange County Health Department and our local health systems for our healthcare workers, and that asymptomatic testing is taking place in Orange County.
With the Orange County Department of Health authorization, thus the NBA has advised us that we are able to have our players tested.
We have been assured we are not taking any tests (anti-viral and Coronavirus tests) from healthcare workers, first responders or anyone whether they are experiencing symptoms or asymptomatic. As we have been told, the general public in our community can go to numerous locations to receive a Coronavirus test.
The Orlando Magic’s foremost priority remains everyone's health and well-being connected to the game and we will continue to follow the NBA’s guidelines, while also continuing to listen to public health experts and observe local governmental directives."